Disclaimer: Again. I don't own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto the great does. I'm not making any money off any of this either.

A/N: "Speech" - "Thought" - "Tailed Beast"

"Our village won't even have a future unless we protect the most important thing."

"The most important thing?"

"So the future generations of villagers will think proudly of it. Leaf shinobi protect their friends and the village at the risk of their own lives, but listen. Since when do we plan on sacrificing someone for the village? Are you really okay with that? Is that really who we wanna be?! Do you think everyone will be happy if that's how they're saved? Yeah it'll protect the village but it'll corrupt it too! The village I love just doesn't do things like that!"

-Naruto Uzumaki - Inheritors of the Will of Fire

Episode 2: The Breaking Point

Season 1: The Dawn of a New Age

Series: The Era of the Sixth

***On the Battlefield***

"Time for a new perspective. Let's see what your view on the world is Sasuke" Madara said as Sasuke went unconscious. Madara gave a sadistic laugh as he stopped in front of Sasuke. Madara reached down towards Sasuke's eyes before jumping back suddenly as a three pronged kunai flew at his head. The kunai landed before a flash of yellow occurred and the reanimated Minato appeared in front of Sasuke. Madara gave a small smile observing this one armed reanimation.

"You came with Hashirama didn't you? Yes, you were one of the four Hokage who arrived. If you intend to stop me then you are gravely mistaken. One arm will not get you far in a dance with me." Madara said in a cold voice.

Minato stared at Madara for a while before speaking in a low, calm voice. "You may indeed be right, but...I have no intention of stopping you."

Madara smirked, "Really? Then what is it that you intend to do?"

Minato flung a three pronged kunai down into the crater where Naruto was, never breaking eye contact with Madara. A Rasengan began forming in his hand and Minato gave a small smile. "I..."

Minato had disappeared and reappeared directly behind Madara. "...will buy time! Rasengan!"

***Meanwhile - With Sakura***

Sakura was breathing heavy, trying to slow her heart rate down after the fact that she nearly died. That fact alone wasn't what scared her, though. No, what had scared her, terrified her even, was that she hadn't told him. She had to make things right with him, make him understand that she had meant what she said to him that day in the snow. She had to prove to him that she wasn't lying to herself, that she really did love him. Why didn't he see that she wanted him to stop chasing after Sasuke because she was worried about him not Sasuke or anyone else? Yes she loved Sasuke but not in a romantic, get married, kind of way. He was like a wayward brother. Him, on the other hand, she truly loved him. Sakura had realized she had fallen in love with him due to the fact that she was nearly flatten. But the facts that he loved her were right in front of her, because whenever she needed him, he was right there, all the time. Even if right there sometimes meant the hospital because he was an idiot and pushed himself too hard, but still, she had found that she loved him dearly. Almost as though...he was an extension of herself.

Sakura was quickly awakened from her reverie by a sudden flash of yellow and white and the sound of someone landing. She turned her gaze and saw Naruto's dad crouched a few feet away from her with his head down. He looked at her and gave her a tired smile.

Minato said to her in a quiet, soothing voice, "Naruto used a lot of chakra in that last attack. My clone is there buying us time. I need your help to heal Naruto."

Sakura looked at him shocked and confused. The famous Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, Naruto's own dad, was asking her for help. She stuttered a little before finally asking, "Why me? I'm sure there was another medical ninja closer to you."

She was stunned even more when Minato stood up and smiled at her. "Because, you remind me of Naruto's mother and you seem to truly care about him. His mother would want Naruto to find someone like her and I believe that that someone is you."

For the entirety of what he just said Minato walked over to Sakura and as he finished he put his hand on her shoulder. Sakura simply continued to stare at him in disbelief as her eyes began to water. She quickly rubbed her eyes as the two of them disappeared.

***Meanwhile - With Madara***

Madara gasped before crying out in pain as Minato drilled the Rasengan into his back forcing Madara to go flying over Sasuke and rolling and sliding across the ground kicking up debris and dirt as he went before skidding to a stop. He slowly stood up, coughing up blood as he did so. He smirked, though, as he raised his head to look at Minato. Blood dripped from the corners of Madara's mouth, creating a small pool at his feet.

"You're a pretty quick dancer. I'll give you that. But, in order to dance with me you'll have to step it up some." Madara gave a horribly, terrifying smile as he stood up.

Minato crouched down a little, ready to spring in a moment's notice. Although, he was breathing heavily. "I'm low on chakra...at this rate...Madara will...unless...yes of course!"

While Minato was strategizing Madara looked down at his hands as he flexed his arms a little. "That jutsu was quite powerful. But no matter what jutsu they use so long as I have Hashirama's healing power I'll be fine. They don't have a single jutsu to counter it. Even if they used sage jutsu it would not be enough."

Madara drew his gaze back to Minato before sprinting directly towards him. A black rod coming out of Madara's glove as he passed it over to his right hand, the hand he took from Zetsu. Another black rod appeared in Madara's left hand as he continued to sprint. He drew the rods across his body forming an X in front of him. Madara leapt high into the air passing over Sasuke, his target being Minato.

As Madara had leapt Minato had began to draw in nature energy, his eyes fading in and out of a frog like state.

"Just a little more," Minato thought as the orange rings began to form around his eyes as Madara came down.

"Now!" Madara screamed in his own mind as he swung the black rods back to their respective sides right at Minato's head. But Minato ducked at the very last second causing the rods to pass directly over his face. Madara gave a growl as he landed in front of Minato who had pulled out a three pronged kunai and, aiming for the face of Hashirama on the left side of Madara's chest, stabbed.

In a twirl, Madara spun away, a black rod swinging with him to bat the offending kunai aside. The two began a new dance, a dance of two rods and a three pronged kunai. Slashing and parrying, the one armed Minato barely keeping up with the furious attacks of Madara. A black rod dipped down low intent on taking Minato's leg out while the other came across hoping to behead the Fourth Hokage. Minato parried the rod aiming for his neck while the rod in Madara's right hand cut through Minato's knee causing him to pitch to his left. Minato hit the ground hard and looked up at Madara as both rods stabbed through him and into the ground.

Madara smiled and spoke in a cool, unnaturally excited voice. "This is the end Fourth Hokage. I guess you're not as good of a dancer as Hashira-"

Madara was interrupted though as eight three pronged kunai flew into his back causing Madara to lurch forward and look at the downed and impaled Minato, who gave him a small smile...before dispersing in a cloud of smoke. Madara spun as a nature energy enhanced fist slammed into his jaw, sending Madara flying and down to the dirt face down. He glanced over his shoulder with his one eye to see the real Minato standing over him with another three pronged kunai in his hand.

In a low whisper, barely audible to even the trained ears of Madara Uchiha, Minato said, "Now, it ends. Let us test the limits of Lord Hashirama's healing power."

***Meanwhile - with Sakura***

The dust in the crater was thick and when Sakura appeared in it she could scarcely breathe. She collapsed on her hands and knees gasping and spluttering for oxygen. As cool as the Flying Thunder God Jutsu is, in her current state she found nothing about the jutsu. Sakura opened her eyes curious about where they were. She remembered the Fourth say something about healing Naruto but all she saw was orange and a bare chest. Sakura's eyes widened with realization. "Orange...that means this body is...Naruto!"

She examined him carefully, and very slowly. His orange and black jacket barely on him any more. The entirety of his right sleeve, from the shoulder down was gone. His jacket was entirely unzipped and the fishnet shirt that he had on underneath was completely gone. The left leg of Naruto's pants, from the knee down, was shredded. Cuts lined his body for these were minor. Naruto was sweating heavily and clearly unconscious and covered in dirt. Sakura placed her hands on his chest as the green chakra of her medical ninjutsu glowed, healing him as fast as she safely could.

As she healed Naruto her thoughts and memories of everything he did for her flew through her mind. When Naruto had been brought to tears because he failed to bring Sasuke back for her after three years of training. When Naruto had put himself between her and Sora's attack. His Rasenshuriken training, defeating Pein. But there were only two memories that stood above the rest.

***Flashback - Four years ago***

They stood at the gates with the wind blowing, rustling the leaves of the trees and blowing a few through the air. Naruto stood at the gates with, Shikamaru, Choji, Lee, Kiba, Akamaru, and Sakura. The guys all had their packs on ready for the mission. A mission Naruto was already eager and set to succeed. But what Sakura had just asked of him...

He smiled and gave her a thumbs up. "You bet. It's the promise of a lifetime!"

***End Flashback***

"That day," Sakura thought as she stared at Naruto's peaceful face as she continued to heal him. "That day hurt him more than anything else. And it's because of that day that...he..."

Her mind turned to the other memory. One that had broken her heart more than anything else she had experienced. A nightmare of itself that had been caused by the promise she had asked Naruto to make four years ago. A memory that had been made in recent months.

***Flashback - Land of Iron***

The snow fell slowly and gently from the dark gray clouds that hung above. Almost as though it was a rain colder than anything else. The cold tears that she, herself, were unable to even begin to form.

All because of him, the one who had unknowingly won her heart. Who had won it for a while now, a ways before he even left for Mount Myoboku. This rejection, she realized, is what he had felt all those times he had asked her. 'So this is how he felt,' she thought solemnly. As Naruto gripped her shoulders.

"I hate people who lie to themselves Sakura!"

***End Flashback***

Sakura had been so lost in her reminiscing that she failed to notice the deep cerulean eyes opening, or the fact that at this very moment, she was kissing him. And that he had closed his eyes and proceeded to kiss her back. Hoping to burn this moment into his mind forever. When Sakura realized what she was doing, she didn't stop, or back away. Instead, she poured more passion and love into that kiss. And Naruto's return of affection had increased tenfold.

They finally broke apart after a few moments of heated passion and Naruto stood up with a smile. His eyes possessed orange rings around them and they were frog like in appearance.

"Sage Mode," Sakura thought with a gasp as she got a good look at Naruto. Naruto crossed the index and middle fingers of his right hand with the same fingers of his left. Two shadow clones appeared on either side of Naruto as Naruto held out his right hand, palm up. The two clones began forming a Wind Style:

Rasenshuriken in that palm.

"Naruto...don't..." Sakura said as she watched Naruto with a fear unlike any other. A fear for his life.

Naruto was not even looking at her though. His eyes were focused on the battle between Madara and the real body of Naruto's reanimated father. He continued to observe as the Rasenshuriken began taking shape. Naruto watched as Minato was forced back several steps as Madara unleashed his Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation. Minato completely disappeared behind the walls of fire.

***Meanwhile - with Minato***

Minato jumped high over the flames and saw Naruto's jutsu form. "Finally." Minato threw his last three pronged kunai at Madara, forcing him to jump back. Minato disappeared in a flash and appeared behind Madara with a Rasengan in his hand. "Sage Art: Rasengan!"

Minato attempted to drill the jutsu into Madara's back but Madara was faster. Madara knew Minato was going to attack from behind so he spun and raised his left hand causing the Rasengan to strike the palm of Madara's hand. The jutsu was quickly absorbed and disappeared as Madara drained all the chakra from it.

Minato, his jutsu being drained of chakra, had balled up his fist and thrust it forward in an attempt to punch Madara and create some distance between the two. But Madara caught his punch in his right hand and spun Minato around him, throwing him into the ground creating an impact crater from the force. Minato struggled to get up as Madara pulled the two black rods out of the ground and ran them through Minato's shoulders piercing both body and earth as he was pinned. Madara stepped on Minato's chest, a third black rod poised just above his neck in Madara's hands.

Madara scowled down at Minato. "It's impressive that you caused some damage; however, none of it was enough to overpower Hashirama's healing power. But, for now, let us test the limits of the damage a reanimated body can regenerate. Your right arm has not regenerated. Shall we try your head?"

Minato watched in horror as the black rod was raised for a final stab.

***Meanwhile - with Naruto & Sakura***

Naruto glared at Madara as he raised his Wind Style: Rasenshuriken above his head. His two shadow clones poofing out of existence on either side of him. Naruto's grim visage hardened more as he fought to keep from panting. His body ached and he felt as though he had a few broken ribs.

Naruto continued to concentrate on his Rasenshuriken as he spoke, his words directed to his long time love.

"Sakura," he started as she looked back to him, her gaze having been drawn to the battle between Minato and Madara. "I know what I'm about to do is super reckless. And it could kill me. But I really do love you. Get Sasuke out of there. I'm gonna hit Madara full force with this."

Naruto took a step forward as Sakura leapt to her feet. "Naruto!"

Sakura's scream was lost on Naruto; however, as he jumped through the air right at Madara's exposed back, Rasenshuriken in hand. Madara spun and saw Naruto flying straight for him and swung the onyx rod right at him, hoping to slice through him.

Naruto deftly shifted his body backwards, causing the rod to slice threw his jacket as the Rasenshuriken was slammed into Hashirama's face, sending Madara and the Rasenshuriken flying backwards as Naruto screamed. "Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!"

Madara cried out in pain as the Rasenshuriken exploded in a ball of light with Madara at the center with thousands of tiny wind blades piercing his body from multiple directions.

***Meanwhile - with Sakura***

Sakura sprinted toward the edge of the crater where Naruto had been and leapt up to the edge of it where she saw Naruto's jutsu and, grabbing hold of the back of the collar of Sasuke's shirt, leapt back down into the crater to take shelter from the wind. Sakura peeked over the edge and watched the ball of wind as it encompassed Madara and watched as Naruto stood there panting with his right hand still outstretched from where he drilled his Rasenshuriken into Madara.

Naruto sank to his knees as he continued to watch his jutsu finish its effects on Madara. The rings around his eyes had disappeared and his eyes returned to their cerulean color, though dull from exhaustion, as the last of the nature energy he had drawn in vanished from his body. Minato gave a small smile and Naruto noticed his father's mouth moving but wasn't sure if he heard right as he fell face down, succumbing to his fatigue and exhaustion. Sakura leapt up to Naruto and kneeling beside him quickly began to heal him.

Minato smiled remembering all the times he had spent with Kushina and regretted not saving Kushina and staying alive himself so that he could get to know this woman that Naruto so clearly loves and adores. But Minato turned his attention back to Madara. Watching as he saw the distant figure fall into the crater that was created by Naruto's jutsu knowing it was Madara's body. "A body with the Lord First's healing power…was that jutsu too much...is Madara finally at his breaking point?" he thought as he watched it fall.

***Meanwhile - with Madara***

Pain, a feeling that shocked even him. A feeling that he currently had as he lay there in the dirt. A feeling that he didn't know he was even capable of as he tried vainly to pick himself up. Blood flowed freely from his body as he willed the healing power of Hashirama to activate.

But Madara couldn't feel it working but going under the idea that it would take some time for it to work and completely heal him he began to stand up. He was pleased to realize that the kunai in his back had been yanked out from the force of Naruto's jutsu.

That pleasure was very short lived; however, as he slapped a hand across his mouth as he coughed vehemently. Blood splattered across the ground and into his hand as he coughed and choked on the contents that ran through his own veins. Madara dropped back down to his knees, breathing heavily, his eyes fixated on his own blood. Blood that had spilled from the majority of his body after Naruto's attack. His blood, splattered across the earth, scared him, made him want to scream for all he was worth, for it reminded him of a very sobering fact. That he, the great Madara Uchiha, was truly mortal. Madara had not had enough time to use Izanagi when Naruto's jutsu struck and now….

His Mangekyou Sharingan wouldn't even activate so that he might use it. He would just have to wait until Hashirama's chakra had healed him. Madara glanced down at the face of Hashirama embedded on his chest and noticed a terrifying fact. The sage power was gone. The rings around the eyes and the mark on the forehead of Hashirama's face was completely gone. Without that power, Madara would die again. Death was a cold sleep, colder than even his own blackened heart. Madara saw his vision blur, felt his heartbeat slow, and knew that this was it. All his hopes and dreams, the goal of this entire war, would have to be fulfilled by HIM. Madara looked up and saw a blurred Sasuke land at the edge of the crater, Chidori in hand.

Sasuke had awakened and garnered the key facts from Sakura and Minato and upon seeing an unconscious Naruto knew that Madara must finally be down for the count. Sasuke quickly fled the area in pursuit of Madara to finish him off and now here he was, glaring down at the epitome of evil, an evil that he had almost became as well. Sasuke shuddered at the thought that he would have ended up just like this bleeding, rotting body before him. A body that he was about to destroy for good.

Sasuke raised his Chidori powered left hand, aiming at Hashirama's face on the left side of Madara's body.

"You do not deserve life Madara. The village that you and the First created, the same village that my brother gave his life to protect. The same village that I will become Hokage of, is the village that you almost destroyed. So I have one question for you. Why?"

Madara hesitated at first, pondering the answer before finally speaking in a still, small, weak voice, coughing as he did. "When your brother dies…at the hand of your best friend's brother. You begin to hate him, both the brother and the friend. And upon reading the Uchiha Stone Monument and how to achieve global peace one would only…choose to forsake everything for that peace…that...is why."

Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the answer. After sorting through what Madara had just spoken into him, he snapped his eyes open, Sharingan activated, and growled. "Chidori Light Spear!"

The long electric spear sped from Sasuke's left hand and pierced Madara straight through Hashirama's face, causing Madara to lurch forward. Sasuke pulled back on his hand and swiped it through the air causing the spear to recede and the Chidori to fizzle out of existence.

Blood dripped from the corners of Madara's mouth and the small smile he had on his face went unnoticed as he fell forward into the dirt. As Madara drew his last breath he was left with a dying thought as he did not have the energy to speak. "Enjoy your peace while you can foolish brats. I leave the rest to you...Izuna…" With that final thought, Madara finally succumbed to death's will, his soul no longer among the living.

Sasuke looked around, taking in the sight of all the men and women taking care of their comrades before settling his gaze on Minato, Naruto, and Sakura. Minato's and Sasuke's eyes met and Sasuke called out to him, "I will burn Madara's body destroying his eyes and the First Hokage's cells."

Not waiting for an answer, Sasuke turned his attention back to Madara's fallen and mutilated corpse as Sasuke's eyes transformed into his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. Sasuke raised his right hand this time, off to his right side, and muttered, "Inferno Style: Flame Control." Sasuke swept his hand across his body in front of him as a ball of black flame had appeared and, upon Sasuke's sweeping motion, descended upon the corpse of Madara Uchiha.

Sasuke had no idea how long he had stood there and he failed to notice Karin's arrival beside him. For once, she said nothing but put her left arm around his shoulders as Sasuke watched his ancestor's body burn. He began to ponder what would have happened if he had continued down his original path of destroying the Leaf and wondered if this would have also been his fate had he not learned the truth.

Hashirama landed in the crater and if Sasuke noticed he didn't show it. Hashirama stood off to the side watching the body of his long time friend burn. Both Sasuke and Hashirama were sharing the same thought at that particular moment. It was going to be a long recovery for the Uchiha clan.

***Unknown Location***

He sat in the dark of his chambers, as he always did. His dark outfit blending him in with the darkness completely, his mask, hanging around his neck and his twin swords leaning against the wall by the door. With his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan he had no need for the light anyways. He sat there wondering about his father, a man as dark as the room he was currently seated in, and how his own personal scheme would have a different outcome than that of his father's. The report that he had heard about his father's death and the jutsu used for it did nothing to unsettle him. He knew how charismatic his father was and how carried away he could get with things. His father had always seemed to care about the preservation of the lives of the innocent. That was only one of the areas of conversation where he and his father could never agree. The knowledge of the jutsu that killed his father meant nothing to him so long as he had his perfect Susano'o then nothing would ever touch him. Pushing the remaining thoughts on the subject out of his head, he turned his attention back to his own scheme knowing that Kabuto would be arriving soon.

"Yes," he thought, "soon I will have enough power to surpass you father and achieve what you failed to do."

He gave a wicked grin, his white teeth flashing in the dark, before disappearing behind the mask as picked it up off his neck and placed it on his head again as he stood up. A dark, evil, maniacal laugh erupted from his body muffled only slightly from behind the mask as he spoke to only the walls.

"Let them clean up from the war and recover. Let them rest and settle into peace. It will be so much more fun when I destroy that peace and show them how foolish they all truly are!"

There you have it folks, episode two. Sorry it took me soooo damn long. This chapter gave me a lot of grief and it's all Sakura's fault. Dumb bitch. I know the whole romance between Sakura and Naruto probably seemed….cliche. I hope to remedy that in the next chapter. If you are someone who thinks you have my plot figured out, don't. Because even I don't know where it will go. I have most of the more immediate events planned out including character deaths. I know I'm a dick but hey. The good guys can't win all the time. It just doesn't work that way. Thank you to all those who have reviewed and are following this story. Again. If you have any questions, comments, ideas or just wanna say hey you guys can PM me. I'll get back to you as quick as possible. R&R for me please? Now, without any further ado, this is The 85th Naruto saying later!

Next Time: Aftermath